Page 70 - Lighting Magazine October 2018

retail spotlight
Natural daylight adds sparkle to the xtures in the front
window.
would like to see hanging or o ered in a particular space.” Product training with manufacturers’ reps is part of the education process, but not the only source. “We invest in training,” Lansing states. “If someone asks to take the ALA (American Lighting Association) certi cation courses, I’ll pay for it.” Employees who earn ALA certi cation receive a bonus as a reward.
eacH store Is unIque
Rather than subscribing to the simplest of method of purchasing product in triplicate to cover all three showrooms, the buying process at Idlewood is more complicated. “We buy for each store dif- ferently,” Lansing notes. “For example, one is more traditional in clientele, even though it’s only 25 miles away from another of our locations.” In some cases, the product varies and in others, it might be the nish (i.e. a preference for warmer traditional tones versus cooler contemporary) that is the dif- ferentiating factor.
Idlewood Electric sends buyers to the Dallas lighting show twice a year, and since Lightfair was held in Chicago, Lansing made it a point to a end. Ensuring there is enough popular product in inventory is something Lansing believes makes a di erence for customers. She is also a rm be- liever in keeping the showrooms’ displays fresh and maximizing her partnerships with vendors. “Real estate has a price tag. If you want the space, we have to work together. Let me help you. My dad always said the relationship is like a marriage; it has to work for both sides,” she comments.
DeaLInG wItH tHe Internet
Idlewood’s long history in the Chicago area. and the fact that it had been in the same location for 48 years before moving just a li le further down the road 12 years ago, has provided the showroom with multiple generations of business. Lansing’s family has helped customers 20+ years ago who now have their grown children stopping in to buy lighting for their new homes. People in the Chicago area have learned to rely on Idlewood’s expertise because it has successfully made its name top of mind within the communities it serves.
“Even in the age of online shopping, there are certain things the internet can’t do,” Lan- sing says. For example, people have come in because they ordered the wrong size xtures or need help wiring a dimmer. It’s the personal experience that they get at Idlewood and the communication of knowledge that can turn online shoppers into brick-and-mortar repeat customers, according to Lansing.
“We put ourselves out there on Houzz,” Bun- ting comments. Being visible on such home improvement websites has helped generate brand-awareness for both lighting manufacturers and Idlewood. “There aren’t many lighting brands known by consumers, unlike appliance brands. We make an e ort to highlight the brands we carry, a er years of disguising it,” she adds.
“We’re constantly thinking of what’s next,” Bun- ting says. For example, more customers are asking about LED retro ts for downlights as well as for vanity applications.
“They’re also asking about color temperature,” Lansing remarks.
“We expect the LED category to keep evolv- ing,” Bunting notes. “As great as LED can be, it can also bring problems. We like that the employees at Home Depot and Ace Hardware send custom- ers to us for answers to their questions; they tell people that we have everything,” she says.
In fact, it’s the growing technology that has both Lansing and Bunting intrigued. “I like learning; it keeps things interesting,” Bunting states. “There is so much innovation in the category that it’s an interesting place to be!”
There is one area that technology cannot make obsolete: customer service. Lansing keeps in mind the advice her late father has told her over the years: “Have integrity, have morals, and be humble.” 
66 enLIGHTenment Magazine | october 2018
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